The Sad Reason Melania Trump Didn't Spend New Year's Eve With Donald

As we all set our New Year's resolutions and watched the ball drop on December 31, the Trumps were welcoming 2024 at the Mar-a-Lago New Year's Party. Yet, as Donald Trump celebrated the year he'll be running for president once again, his wife, Melania, was not by his side. This was, of course, a surprise for those attending the event — especially since Melania was also notably missing from the Trump family Christmas photo; an absence that a spokesperson for the Trumps explained was due to Melania "tending to a family matter," per Page Six. At his New Year's Eve party, though, Donald was surprisingly candid about what this family matter really was.

In a video posted to X, formerly known as Twitter, Donald took the stage at his party on the evening of Sunday, December 31 to speak to his many guests. According to him, Melania's 78-year-old mother, Amalija Knavs, is "very ill." Donald explained that the illness is serious enough that it landed Knavs in the hospital in Miami, Florida, and that Melania spent the holidays by her side. While Donald didn't go into any detail about what's ailing Knavs, he did share that the situation is "a tough one, a very tough one."

In his speech, Donald Trump also shared a message from his wife, saying that Melania "sends her love" to the party guests. He added that Melania "knows about 95% of the people in this room," making it clear that she was disappointed to miss the event. One of Donald's wishes for the new year is for Amalija Knavs' health. During his speech, he said, "Hopefully, she'll be recovering," and added, "we just want to wish Amalija that she gets better as quickly as possible."

Besides how difficult it can be to watch a loved one endure health struggles, there are other reasons why Donald is surely hoping for a particularly speedy recovery for his mother-in-law. It's been said that Melania would suddenly be more active in her husband's 2024 campaign after the start of the new year. This could have a hefty impact on the upcoming months for Donald, considering the fact that Melania's absence during the earlier part of the campaign trail raised major red flags. While it's still unclear what kept Melania from her presidential hopeful husband's side in 2023, it's safe to say that her mother's health may make her upcoming involvement even more difficult.